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***Watch previous coverage in the video***
CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found the city of Cleveland just filed notice that a bar in the Flats has been declared a “nuisance” after gunfire erupted, leaving six people shot.
It happened early Sunday evening, and the city immediately boarded up the Play Bar and Grill.
The city’s notice to owners of the bar also outlines other incidents. The letter points out:
- On September 7, 2025, multiple instances of felonious assault with firearms;
- On August 18, 2025, a report of fighting inside Play Bar and Grill;
- On July 5, 2025, a report of shooting inside Play Bar and Grill;
- On June 6, 2025, a report of a patron of Play Bar and Grill pulling a gun on a valet.
In the latest case, security video shows a big crowd outside the bar, then chaos.
Cleveland police said they found 40 shell casings, and even a suspected gunman was among those shot and wounded.
Westley Carter, who oversees safety operations at Play, shared the surveillance video with FOX 8 News. He said the bar was not responsible because the business was shutting down after reaching capacity.
“The assistant chief of fire showed up and did to shut down — overcrowding — which we (were) happy with as we were trying to clear out our patio,” Carter said. “We heard shots from down Front Street closer to West 11th. People started running toward us. So, I don’t know how we got blamed for a fight supposedly happening here when we were actually clearing everybody out.”
The city took immediate action to board up the business under an “emergency” statute. Now, the club owners get a chance to appeal the formal declaration of a nuisance.
A city spokesperson said in a statement, “Despite the repeated interventions with Play Bar and Grill, the recent mass shooting in The Flats – one of the city’s most vibrant entertainment districts – required extraordinary measures and made it absolutely clear that the city needed to quickly act. The administration has a responsibility and remains committed to safeguarding the lives of our residents and visitors, which necessitated immediate action to prevent further tragedy.”
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Ed Gallek
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